Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, EMPIRE, by WILLIAM ROSE BENET


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

EMPIRE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I saw the glorious ocean breaking
Last Line: That hast earth, stars, sea, sun and all!
Subject(s): Nature; Life


I saw the glorious ocean breaking
Sapphire beneath a sapphire sky,
The thundering surges whitely shaking
Their manes of surf on high.

I saw the black rocks drenched and gleaming
Before th' assault of wave on wave,
Till up the sands the tide went streaming
Royal with ermine kings might crave.

The sun o'er all progressed his heaven
A rajah of a naos golden,
And, drawing round him shrouds of even,
He sank in gorgeous pomp and olden.

Life! Life! Thy magi still adore thee
But fail for offerings, fail and fall
In overwhelmed despair before thee
That hast earth, stars, sea, sun and all!





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